


Stay

by Nothing_You_Can_Prove



Category: RWBY
Genre: Bumblebee - Freeform, Confessions, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Holding Hands, Kissing, Leading into vol 5, Meeting the Parents, POV Third Person, Sharing a Bed, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-11
Updated: 2017-06-10
Packaged: 2018-09-23 13:04:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9658565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nothing_You_Can_Prove/pseuds/Nothing_You_Can_Prove
Summary: What if Blake had stayed after the fall of Beacon?





	1. Stay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first solo foray into the RWBY fandom. What better way to spend my time waiting for the next volume to come out than writing fanfic? Firstly, welcome everyone. Admittedly, I haven't actually read any RWBY fanfic (I've not had time), so I have no idea if anyone has done this before. If they have, I'm sure this will be different enough. Some amount of crossover is inevitable somewhere down the line. This is planned as a one-shot for now, but I could potentially extend it. We'll see how it goes. Without further ado, enjoy.

**Chapter One: Stay**

_An overwhelming desire to protect and a reckless charge into battle. A twisted grin, a swift slashing sound, and pain. So much pain. Sharp and shooting. Dizziness, panic, fear and then... then darkness. Nothing…_

Yang's eyes opened abruptly, a cold sweat forming on her brow and her heart racing as the lingering images of her nightmare gradually faded. It had seemed so… real. When she regained her grip on reality, she noticed where she was. In a room that felt both familiar and foreign to her. She felt too out of it to place the room but felt safe enough being here. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed someone sat close to her bed. Someone familiar. She let out a sigh of relief knowing that Blake was here. For some reason, she'd had a bad feeling about that. Clearly, she didn't have anything to worry about.

"Where… am I?" Yang asked groggily as she looked around. The last thing she could remember was fighting alongside everyone at Beacon and then… haziness.

"Home," Blake answered simply, not trusting herself to say anything more than this one-word response. She was a woman of few words under normal circumstances. Now more than ever.

Yang racked her brain, trying to remember how she'd gotten here and what had happened. Anything really. When her mind drew a blank, she turned to her teammate again. "What happened?"

Blake had been dreading this conversation. How could she even begin to explain to Yang what had happened to her… or why, "Beacon fell, remember? And..." Words failed her as she tried to recount the events. Although she tried hard, Yang's non-existent arm was nearly impossible to ignore. A permanent reminder of Blake's failure to protect the one person she couldn't bear to see get hurt.

It was then that Yang noticed Blake's strange behavior and felt like she was missing something. Her eyes followed her friend's down to where her right arm should be, only to find it gone. All of a sudden, the memories came flooding back, overwhelming her. Her nightmare had been much more than a bad dream. It _was a_ reality. The shock of learning this made her speechless. She had so many questions yet found it almost impossible to ask them. Instead, the unbearable silence dragged on.

Eventually, Blake couldn't hold it in any longer. "This is… all my fault."

Yang watched the slow breakdown, tears rolling down Blake's cheeks as she admitted her supposed sins. It was heart-breaking to watch. "Don't say that, please."

"But it _is,_ " the dark-haired faunus repeated, angry at herself for letting this happen. _"_ If it hadn't been for me, then…" If she hadn't involved herself with the White Fang, with Adam Taurus, then Yang wouldn't have been hurt.

Yang instinctively went to take her friend's hand with her right one, realizing all too late that was impossible. It would take a while for her to get used to this. Exhaling deeply, she placed her left hand over Blake's to get her attention. "Blake, look at me. This _isn't_ your fault."

"But…" Blake sniffled, ready to launch into a whole host of reasons as to why this was, in fact, her fault. There were plenty to choose from.

Before she had the chance, Yang swiftly interrupted her, "No buts. If I thought it was your fault, I'd be giving you an earful right now. Trust me." The attempt at humor seemed to help a little. Not much, but it was a start. "Given the choice, I'd do the same thing all over again. Wait, scratch that… I'd rip that jerk in half before he had the chance. Failing that, though, I wouldn't change a thing. And I'm not just saying that to make you feel better." An effortless smile crept onto her face as she reached out to clumsily wipe away some of Blake's tears with her left hand, careful not to poke her in the eye in the process. "I'd much rather have one less arm in my life than one less Blake Belladonna."

A reluctant smile tugging at Blake's lips as Yang's fingers carefully removed her tears. "Out of all the things you could have said and you chose that."

"I think it made me sound pretty cool. More importantly, it's true. There are some things you just can't replace." Maybe she was laying it on a bit thick now, but it needed to be said. Yang needed to tell Blake as much as she needed to hear it.

Blake shook her head at the cheesy line. Despite her attempts to complain, it was just what she needed to hear now. "There you go again…"

Yang retracted her hand, letting it rest back on the mattress. It could get awkward if she left it there too long… as much as she wanted to. Besides, her arm was starting to hurt from holding it up too long and Blake had stopped crying for the most part.

There was still one more thing Blake had to confess to her friend. Now was as good a time as any, before she chickened out. "Yang…"

"Yeah?"

Blake fidgeted uncomfortably, trying to think of the best way to say this. It was hard to admit and she hoped that Yang wouldn't hate her for even considering something so cowardly. "I… nearly ran away, you know. After… they got you back here and I knew you were going to survive."

Yang was silent for a moment, taking the confession in. She didn't blame Blake for thinking about it. In the same situation, she might have considered it too. When a situation got scary and out of control, it was easy to just run and never look back. Unfortunately, that only got you so far. The important thing was that Blake _had_ stayed. Still, Yang found herself curious at just what had prevented her from leaving. "What stopped you?"

That was a good question. Blake had some time to think about the answer to that question while she was waiting for Yang to wake up. In the end, she'd come to a conclusion of sorts. "I could run forever to escape my problem… hide from them and inevitably let them drive me mad. Or, I could face them head on and find my answers instead of guessing how you would react. Whether you would hate me." Even the thought of Yang hating her made her want to cry all over again. Her voice wavered slightly as she continued. "All I've ever done is run. I realized that if I ran now, I might never stop. In short, I guess I could say it was you. You stopped me from leaving."

"Now look who's getting all mushy," Yang mentioned teasingly, her heart melting at such a sweet reason. Maybe it wasn't meant _exactly_ the way she hoped it was, but she could dream.

"I can't have one serious conversation with you, can I?" Blake sighed, suppressing the smile that threatened to break. She shouldn't encourage Yang Xiao Long of all people.

"Not if I can help it." Yang grinned cheekily, reveling in the chaos she had created. Blake just rolled her eyes playfully at the toothy grin she received. Despite her initial reservations, staying did seem like a good option so far. If she had left, both she and Yang would've had so many unanswered questions and left so much room for misinterpretation. That outcome would have been sad for all involved. This way was much better. Now, they had a chance to work things out between them and move forward.

Blake helped Yang take a drink of water and eat the stew Taiyang had left before getting her comfortable again. She needed to keep her strength up. This was the least she could do for a friend such as Yang. That was how she would see it from now on. Not her mistakes, but Yang's selfless bravery in the face of danger… or at least she'd try. Adam Taurus could have quite easily killed her if Yang hadn't stepped in or kidnapped her, done any manner of things. She didn't know what he was capable of anymore. One thing was for certain, he was no longer a symbol of unifying hope for all faunus… what the White Fang and its members _should_ strive to be. Why she had joined in the first place. That aim seemed to have been lost in translation somewhere along the line, twisted and manipulated to fit certain personal agendas.

"I should probably get some rest now," Yang mentioned through a yawn. She still had a long road to recovery and even talking was tiring. More emotionally than anything. As much as she hated sitting around doing nothing, even she knew her limits. Forcing herself would only make her bedridden for longer.

Blake nodded, taking this as a sign for her to leave. "I'll leave you to it then."

Yang quickly grabbed onto her wrist, preventing her from going, "Whoever said you had to go." Certain that she had Blake's attention again, she shuffled over to the side, leaving some room beside her on the bed. She patted it with her remaining hand invitingly.

"Are you serious?" Blake asked, unable to keep the disbelief out of her voice. That was the very last thing she had been expecting and didn't know quite how to react.

"Very," Yang confirmed, her confidence faltering slightly as she went on the explain her reasoning. "You look like you need some sleep too and… I'd feel better if you were here."

The flicker of vulnerability in Yang's voice made it impossible to refuse. Not only that but Blake… wanted to. She still acted begrudgingly, only in a playful sense. "Fine but you'd better not snore or kick me in your sleep."

Clearly, Yang understood that because her smile returned. "No promises."

It took a few moments for the girls to get themselves settled, neither too sure what to do with their various limbs. After much hesitation, they found a comfortable position for the both of them. The bed was only a single, so it was admittedly a bit of a tight squeeze. Yang had her back pressed loosely against Blake, the faunus' arm awkwardly hovering, uncertain where to rest.

"Your elbow's digging in," Yang clarified as she moved Blake's arm further across to rest over her waist. That was only part of the reason she had done it, but she didn't need to tell Blake that for now. When Blake didn't move, she took that as a good sign. In that moment, there seemed to only be the two of them and nobody else. Beacon, the Grimm, the White Fang... these were all distant problems for another day.

"Blake, are you still awake?" Yang quietly called out into the darkness after an unknown amount of time had passed. She didn't really want to wake her friend, but there was something important she still needed to say.

"Just about," Blake replied sleepily. Yang had been right. She _was_ tired.

After a brief pause, Yang sank back further into Blake and closed her eyes. Her words were soft, just loud enough for her friend to hear and not any louder than that. "I'm glad you decided to stay."

If Blake hadn't been sure that this was the right decision before, Yang's word confirmed to her that she had done the right thing by staying. Without a doubt. Her arms tightened around her teammate, her friend, her… "Me too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there we go. I hope that you enjoyed the fic. Venturing into a new fandom is both exciting and a bit nerve-wracking. Thanks for reading and feel free to let me know what you thought. Maybe I'll get some more RWBY stuff done at some point, most probably either more Yang/Blake or Ruby/Weiss ship wise. Have a great day and hopefully I'll see you soon.


	2. From the Shadows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, welcome back. Just to clarify the timescale, this fic starts sometime soon after the events of the Battle at Beacon (so in the fall/autumn). Therefore, Ruby hasn't left for Mistral yet. This chapter might be a little more angsty than the last one at the beginning, just as a heads up. There will be some more light-hearted stuff afterwards, though. So, it'll all balance out in the end.

**Chapter Two: From the Shadows**

" _Yang…" the disembodied whisper reverberated around the void-like space Yang found herself in. She had no idea where she was or who was calling for her but unease gripped at her heart. A figure emerged out of the darkness. The man who appeared was very tall, with spiked red hair and bull horns sticking through the front. He wore dark clothing and a Grimm-style mask to hide his eyes. She recognized him almost immediately as White Fang member Adam Taurus._

_He came to stand in front of her, an arrogant aura surrounding him, "Hello, Yang. How are you? Feeling pretty bad, I imagine." Enraged, she went to go and punch him with her dominant right fist… completely forgetting about her injury in her anger. Adam grinned smugly, waiting for a hit that would never come. "Is that all you have? Pathetic. You'll never be able to protect your family or friends like this. Not Weiss, not Ruby… and definitely not Blake."_

" _Shut up!" She struck out with her left hand this time with all the might she could muster, eyes burning with hatred for the man who had almost killed her. Without even trying, he side-stepped her attack. Unable to stop the momentum she careered forward, catching herself off balance when she didn't connect with her target. Narrowly avoiding falling flat on her face, she somehow managed to regain her balance only to be knocked down a second later._

_Adam's foot stomped down on her stomach, holding her in place as she gasped for air from being winded. "When will you learn that it takes more than anger and strength to fight? You don't deserve the title of Huntress." He spat these last few words, filling them with as much venom as he could. "Blake won't want you like this, broken. No-one will, but especially not her. She just feels guilty. That's the only reason she's with you now."_

" _Wrong. You're… wrong," Yang managed as she felt her consciousness faded._

" _We'll see who's right in time, won't we?" Those bitter, malicious words were the last thing she heard before the darkness overwhelmed her._

* * *

Someone was lightly shaking her shoulder, trying to wake her. Her eyes opened abruptly and it took a few moments to realize where she was. The empty void had been replaced with her room. Yang carefully turned over and was met with a familiar face. Not Adam Taurus but Blake Belladonna.

Concern lined Blake's face as she examined her friend's paler than usual complexion and noticed the flickers of fear in her lilac eyes. "Yang… you okay? You started yelling and thrashing around in your sleep."

Yang could lie, but it would do her little good. Blake would see right through it. Besides, she didn't want to lie. Not to Blake. She let out a shaky sigh, closing her eyes momentarily. "You want the truth? No, I'm not." In fact, she was _far_ from okay.

Not certain how to respond to that, Blake answered the only way she knew how. "Want to talk about it?"

There was a question. Yang wasn't even sure if she _could_ talk about it. Not so soon after the incident. She needed… time. How much, she didn't know. "Not right now, no."

It was worrying to see her so uncharacteristically closed off, but understandable. They had all lost something at Beacon, Yang being among the highest of the casualties. Hesitantly, Blake reached out to take hold of Yang's left hand, giving it a light squeeze. "Okay then. If you do want to talk about it, I'm here."

Just knowing that helped a lot, more than Yang could ever express in words. She returned the squeeze, actually managing a small smile. "I know, thanks."

Blake shook her head, looking directly into her teammate's eyes. Thankfully, the glints of panic and fear had mostly disappeared now. "No need to thank me, Yang. If there is thanks to give, then you deserve it all."

"I thought _I'm_ supposed to be the one with all the cheesy lines. You're stepping on my turf," Yang chuckled softly, feeling a little better already. Without Blake here, she definitely wouldn't be handling things as well as she was now. Sure, she was still struggling but having the support helped a lot.

The two girls laid there, just letting time pass them by. From the sounds outside and the invasive light, it must be morning now. Another day they had survived to see. Their hands were still loosely intertwined, neither willing to pull away right now. The contact provided a comforting warmth, reminding them both that the other was safe. For a while, that had been extremely uncertain.

"Am I interrupting anything?" A voice carried over from the doorway, hints of humor present. Both girls looked over to the door seeing Yang's father, Taiyang Xiao Long, leaning against the doorframe with a light smirk plastered to his face.

"No," Blake answered too quickly, incriminating herself further. Realizing that all too late, she stuttered over her words. "I n-need to use the bathroom." With cat-like reflexes, she darted across the room and out of the door to escape the awkward situation. For all her talk of not running away anymore, it seemed that in some situations she couldn't help but revert to that defensive mechanism.

Taiyang watched her skulk away, chuckling softly to himself. He was carrying a tray with two bowls and glasses. Carefully, he set it down on the bedside table and took a seat on the edge of the bed. "I just came to see how you were doing and to bring breakfast."

"Thanks. How's Ruby?" Yang asked, trying to draw attention away from Blake's swift exit. That and she was curious to see how her sister was doing. As tough as Ruby was, everyone had their limits.

His expression became slightly troubled as he answered the question. "She hasn't come to yet. Still out like a light. The fighting must have taken a lot out of her…"

"She will be okay, though… right?" she pressed again, anxious to know for certain.

He nodded slowly, keen to ease her worries. "Yes, she will be. You know our Ruby, she's a fighter. Just like her sister. I do worry about her, though."

"I think you have good reason to be," Yang agreed knowingly. Ruby had about as rough a time as she had. Watching both Penny and Pyrrha die right in front of her, fighting their enemy face to face and passing out as a result of overexertion… all these circumstances would have an effect on her. Not a good one either.

Her father was quiet for a few seconds before he spoke again. "I'll keep an eye on her and let you know when she wakes up. If she doesn't tell you herself first. How are _you_ doing?"

"Not great," she admitted with a sigh. Denying it wouldn't help her.

"That's what I figured," he gently placed a hand on her shoulder, reassuring her. "Take as much time as you need. There's no rush." His eyes shifted back to the door, hearing a slight rustling sound. "Anyway, I'm sure my presence is keeping Ms. Belladonna away. I'll leave you to it." He stood up and, after offering up a smile, left the room.

"Is he gone?" A small voice asked moments later as Blake poked her head around the door, ears pricked up as she listened intently for warning signs. Her cheeks were still a bit flushed from the previous embarrassment.

"He is," Yang confirmed, unable to help a smile quirking at the corner of her lips. Blake could be so transparent sometimes. It was kind of cute when she let her guard down.

Cautiously, she stepped inside the room, closed the door behind her and hurried back over to the bed once more. She refused to look at Yang for a while, still flustered. Only Yang seemed to get her like this. So worked up.

Suddenly, Yang's stomach growled loudly and she grinned sheepishly. "Guess I'm kind of hungry."

"When aren't you?" the dark-haired faunus asked amusedly as she took one of the bowls. She stuck a spoon in the porridge, ready to help her friend.

"Are you going to blow on it for me?" The blonde huntress asked cheekily.

"You are such high maintenance." Even if she was joking, Blake found herself blushing all over again. Yang was just too much sometimes. Half-jokingly, she blew near the spoon and offered it to her friend. Obediently, Yang opened her mouth and took the spoonful she was offered.

"You know I could get used to this whole 'being fed' thing," Yang mentioned playfully once she finished her mouthful.

"And I could get used to 'accidentally' spilling it all over you," Blake teased as she put the spoon back in the bowl, giving the food a quick stir to help cool it.

Yang shook her head with a smirk. "So cruel…"

Blake narrowed her eyes with mock annoyance. "I haven't even _begun_ to show you cruel, Yang Xiao Long."

"Using full names, huh? I am in trouble," Yang chuckled softly.

"You will be if you don't finish every single spoonful of this." Once Blake had finished helping Yang eat, she picked up her own bowl and tucked in. She could feel Yang's eyes on her as she ate, watching her with hawk-like intensity. "What are you staring at me for?"

"Who said I was staring? I wasn't staring," Yang objected unconvincingly just to mess with her.

"You so were," Blake replied accusingly.

"…Okay, maybe I was a little bit. There's not really much else to focus on in this room, I hasten to add. I can stop if it's making you feel uncomfortable," Yang offered, not wanting to push her luck.

"I don't mind particularly…" Actually, Blake didn't mind at all. She wouldn't dare admit that to Yang, though. She'd _never_ hear the end of it.

Yang allowed herself a grin at the hesitant reply. "Well, I guess I'll keep doing it then."

Blake's lip quirked upwards into a gentle smile, expression softening as she looked at Yang. She'd definitely made the right choice staying. "I guess you will."

As much as Yang appreciated the company, she didn't want to restrict Blake. Maybe she was worrying too much. Still, she couldn't shake the doubt. "You know I really don't mind you being at my side pretty much twenty-four-seven in the slightest but… you don't have to. If there are other things you have to do, then…"

The faunus shook her head, dismissing the worry as she placed the now empty bowl on the tray. "There is only one thing I have to do right now. Well, not so much have as _want_ to do."

"What's that?" Yang asked hesitantly. Even though she wanted to give Blake an option, ideally she would prefer if her friend stayed close by. After everything that had been through, she didn't want to lose Blake. Now more than before. Equally, she didn't want to be selfish.

"Stay with you, of course," Blake responded simply. She'd had plenty of time to think about what she wanted to do next. The answer to that particular question had come fairly easily to her. It didn't really matter where she was or what she was doing, as long as Yang was there. She knew that much with unwavering certainty.

That reply made Yang's heart soar. She'd hoped that would be the answer, but didn't want to get her hopes up too much. "I just don't want you getting bored or anything."

Blake couldn't help but chuckle at the ridiculous notion. Ever since she had met Yang, she'd never experienced a dull moment. "Bored around you? Not likely. Our time together so far has been far from that."

That summary was more than justified. "You can say that again. So long as you're sure."

"I am. Don't even give me the chance to wander off on my own." Blake's answer to conflict and uncertainty had always been to run away. That only ever made the outcome worse. She didn't even want to think about what would've happened if she'd left Yang to deal with the trauma on her own.

"I won't. Hell, I'll track you across the whole of Remnant if I have to," Yang mentioned half-jokingly.

"Good," Blake could've just as easily been part way to Menagerie by now instead of at Yang's side. That would have been a _huge_ mistake. "Maybe when you're better, and if we get the time, you should come with me to Menagerie. It's mostly desert, but the what we've managed to make habitable is really something. Especially Kuo Kuana, my hometown."

As far as Yang could tell, she seemed a bit homesick. "I bet it is."

"Then you could meet my parents. I think they'd like you." The thought of Yang meeting her parents made Blake both excited and nervous for all kinds of reasons.

"You sound confident," Yang pointed out. Blake hadn't really talked about Menagerie or her parents much. Part of that had to do with the fact that she'd been trying to hide her faunus heritage ever since she'd started at Beacon. Even when she had revealed her secret, it had been more accidental than anything.

"I can't think of a single reason why they wouldn't like you." Sure, Yang could be a little hot-headed and gung-ho sometimes, but she was loyal and caring. She would do anything to help and protect someone she considered a friend. That much she'd proven time and time again. Her condition now proved it most of all.

"Oh, I don't know about that…" Yang could think of a lot of unlikable traits she possessed. Mostly her hot temper and recklessness.

"Well, I do," Blake reassured as confidently as she could.

"Then I'll trust your word. And I'd really like to go. With you." What Yang really wanted to add was 'I'd go with you anywhere' but decided against it. That had the potential to sound a bit stalkerish and creepy, however true.

"Good, because it wasn't really a choice. I already promised my parents I'd come back sometime, before… Beacon," her ears drooped just thinking back to such a horrible experience. So many people had died or got hurt that day. Yang noticed this and lightly squeezed her hand again. The young faunus was glad for the comfort. "I'm not going without you."

Trying her best to stifle the huge grin threatening to hijack her face right now, Yang tried to play it cool. "Well, how can I refuse such an invitation?"

"You can't," Blake pointed out smugly.

She did have a point. There was no way Yang could refuse even if she wanted to… which she didn't. "I suppose I should try to get better asap then."

Blake narrowed her eyes sternly. "You'd better, otherwise I'll be mad."

"We wouldn't want that. Angry Blake scares me," Yang mentioned teasingly. Blake normally seemed so in control of her emotions, never liking to show them. When she did have her rare moments of emotional explosion, they were an extremely intense built up over several days of silent brooding relating to various annoyances.

"Not as much as angry Yang terrifies me." When Yang got angry, it was like she was literally on fire with rage.

Yang winked at her. "I may look sweet and innocent but I have a fiery streak."

Blake tried her best to stifle the laughter threatening to erupt from her throat. "Sweet and innocent? If you say so…"

"Rude. When I'm better you are in _so_ much trouble." Although Yang did her best to make this sound threatening, she failed miserably. Blake giggled at the threat, clearly not worried. She knew that Yang would never really hurt her, no matter how much she joked about it. Unlike people such as Adam Taurus. Out of everyone in her life, Yang was the person she trusted the most.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, we'll end the chapter there. I'm probably going to do around 5 chapters or so for this. That's the plan for now, anyway. I'll try and come up with a few other ideas for RWBY (I might have one or two already). Probably including more Yang/Blake, maybe some Ruby/Weiss and some other f/f pairings. So, stay tuned for more. Have a great day and see you next time.


	3. Road to Recovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I hope you are doing well today. I wrote this chapter on my tablet, because laptop issues, so hopefully there won't be too many typos. I did my best to remove them. So, enjoy the chapter.

**Chapter Three: Road to Recovery**

**A Couple of Months Later**

"Good morning, my sunny little dragon," Taiyang greeted cheerfully as his daughter stumbled into the kitchen, bleary eyed and dazed.

"Ugh… too early…" Yang's words were swallowed up by a huge yawn. Her long, blonde hair was all over the place, the true definition of 'bedhead'.

"You never were good in the mornings. It seems you and Blake have that in common." He jabbed his thumb over to the table. Blake had her head resting on her hand, eyes half closed. If she was left any longer, she might end up head first in her bowl on the table.

Grabbing some Pumpkin Pete's marshmallow flakes and juice, Yang staggered over towards the table and sat down next to Blake, who seemed to wake up a bit when she came over. The dark-haired faunus offered her a sleepy smile, one she returned. Blake had officially been integrated into their family now, spending most of her time either in the house or the surrounding area. She rarely wandered far.

"So, what's on the agenda today?" Taiyang asked curiously as he prepared his own breakfast. He had a feeling he knew the answer already but thought he should humor her.

Yang shrugged as she swirled the spoon around her bowl. "Not sure yet."

"So more sitting around doing nothing then," he theorized smugly. Not to brag, but he knew his daughter fairly well.

"Probably," Yang admitted. She hadn't fully recovered or adapted to life with one arm and still had some emotional scars to deal with. This meant that she wasn't up to much these days. "Might go for a walk later."

"I'll drag her out kicking and screaming if I have to," Blake added, grinning cheekily. As much as she might say this as a joke, she would more than happily do it to get her friend up and about. Most days, Yang seemed her usual self more or less, but other times… she needed some motivation to get her going.

"I'm glad someone has my back," Taiyang chuckled as he sat down at the table. Having Blake around certainly made things more interesting around the house. It was nice to see Yang smiling so freely after… everything. He had to wonder whether she would be doing so well without her friend.

"Traitor!" Yang yelled with mock rage.

Blake rolled her eyes at the melodramatic display. "It's for your own good. I know you're a vampire, but you have to brave the sunlight sometime."

"Me the vampire? Says the pale girl wearing emo black all the time," the blonde huntress muttered just loud enough for them to hear. That had been her intention all along.

Instead of retorting verbally Blake flicked some cereal towards Yang, inviting a food fight. Before one could break out, Taiyang stepped in. He'd heard about the food fight fiasco at Beacon and didn't want a repeat incident. "I would like to still have a kitchen by the end of breakfast, thanks. A house too, if that's not too much to ask."

"She started it," Yang accused defensively.

"And I'm ending it," he stated matter-of-factly. Despite his protests, he was happy to see Yang more like her old self. The past couple of months had been tough on her, more than tough. Gradually, she was recovering from the trauma. Little incidences like this proved that much. While he might not fully support her over-eagerness to start a fight, he'd rather that than seeing her depressed all the time.

"Oh fine, don't back your daughter up…" she grumbled in an over-exaggerated manner.

Used to this kind of behavior, but never sure how to deal with it, Taiyang shook his head. "Don't pout, Yang. This isn't a competition."

Like the mature person she was, Yang stuck her tongue out at her father. He just sighed and continued eating his breakfast. Whether she was just joking or genuinely annoyed, there would be no reasoning with her. To be fair, if she was really angry then the house probably wouldn't still be standing right now. She did have an explosive temper. Thankfully, the rest of breakfast went without a hitch.

"I need to go out for a while, so don't cause any mischief while I'm gone," Taiyang announced as he finished up his breakfast. He had to meet up with Oobleck and Port to discuss important matters, such as their future plans. None of them could sit around and just wait for things to get worse. Since Blake was around, he didn't need to worry about Yang as much. He still did worry a lot, she was his daughter after all, but he knew she was in good hands even if he wasn't here 24/7. While Blake had seemed aloof at first, that had just been her shyness. She was a good person. That and Yang liked and trusted her.

"Me, cause mischief? How dare you even suggest such blasphemy!" Yang protested defiantly while Blake rolled her eyes playfully.

"Right, because my worries are totally unfounded…" Taiyang chuckled softly as he stood up. If he didn't know any better, his daughter would've almost sounded convincing.

"Exactly!" Yang exclaimed fervently, stifling a broad grin in the process.

"Right… we'll see," he mentioned skeptically as he gathered his things together. Before long, he was ready to depart. "I should only be a couple of hours. Try not to burn the house down while I'm gone."

"No promises," his daughter called after him as he left.

With her father out of sight and mind, Yang turned to Blake with a gleeful grin. "So… party time?"

Blake sighed and shook her head, not entirely sure if she was joking or not. "Honestly…"

"What? I know you're not a 'people person' but it'd be fun. Trust me," Yang reassured as convincingly as possible. There was no way Blake would ever agree but there was no harm in trying.

Predictably, Blake wasn't as keen. "For you, maybe."

Deciding to push her luck and just out of curiosity, Yang went on the offensive. Something had to change. If nothing else it'd be fun to tease Blake. "Oh… or would you rather have me _all_ to yourself. Don't want to share?"

The unashamed accusation made the amber eyed faunus hesitate, partly because it was true. She wasn't the best company and worried that someone more interesting might come along and take Yang's attention… and that she wouldn't be able to get it back. It might be selfish and childish to think that way, but she couldn't help it.

"You are ridiculous," Blake stated after a moment had passed, trying to hide her true thoughts.

Seeing an opening, Yang continued to push. She had to capitalize on her advantage. It was rare for Blake to be openly fazed by anything. "Did I sense a contemplative pause there? Look, I know I'm irresistible. You don't have to be embarrassed. You wouldn't be the first to fall for my charm."

"You're something alright…" Blake sighed, not willing to give her friend the satisfaction of admitting that… however true it might be. It was strange, over the past couple of months she had grown very close to Yang, closer than she had been to anyone else before in her life. She felt confused, nervous and excited all at the same time about that closeness, trying to figure out what it all really meant and what she should do about those feelings. "Anyway, I think it's time I drag you on that walk now."

"You really were serious about that… fine, only because it's you." Yang stood up and made her way over to her closet, taking out her clothes for the day. Even small tasks like getting changed could be a chore. Blake turned away to give her some privacy but stayed to make sure she didn't need help. Yang hadn't had much privacy over the past couple of months, so she deserved as much as she could get. After a few moments, Yang called out to her friend with a smirk. "I'm done, by the way."

Blake cleared her throat and turned around to see Yang changed. "Good, let's get going then."

They both left the house, entering the outside world. It was a beautiful day, clear blue sky and sunshine, if a little cold. Despite Remnant being in such chaos, you couldn't tell from this view. If they allowed their enemy to continue, places like Patch would soon fall… just like Beacon had. As they walked, Blake kept glancing over at Yang. She couldn't quite tell what the blonde huntress was thinking most of the time. Unfortunately for her, Yang caught her staring and grinned knowingly. Blake turned away shyly, only managing to keep her eyes off Yang for a few moments before she was staring again. Yang had been through so much, they all had in their own ways. Somehow, they were still fighting.

"Have you heard from Ruby recently?" Blake asked carefully as they walked the unbeaten track towards the trees. Ruby had set off fairly soon after the fall of Beacon with the remaining members of team JNPR the moment she was ready to fight again. In that regard, her and Yang weren't too different.

Yang shook her head slowly. Communication these days was extremely difficult and they had to rely almost solely on letters, not the most reliable or timely way of keeping in touch, "Not really. It's a bit hard with the CCT towers out of action." Another reminder of Beacon and the subsequent destruction.

She could remember both their first and last conversation about her journey like it was yesterday...

_There was a soft knock at her door before it was pushed open. A familiar face popped through the gap belonging to Ruby. She looked a little worse for wear, but all in all she seemed unharmed. Cautiously, she stepped inside the room and made her way over to the bed. Yang sat up as best she could as Ruby sat on the chair nearby the bed._

_Once settled, she offered a tired smile. "Hey, sis."_

_Yang let out a sigh of relief, happy to see Ruby up and about. For a while, she wasn't sure if she'd ever wake up. "You really had us worried there, you know."_

" _I could say the same thing to you," the younger, red-haired huntress countered._

_There wasn't really much Yang could say to that other than agree. "Touche. I'm seriously glad to see you up and about."_

_Ruby's expression turned uncharacteristically solemn as she spoke her next few words. "I had a chat with Uncle Qrow."_

_Whenever Qrow was involved, trouble usually followed. "What about?"_

" _Beacon, among other things," she paused, wringing her hands in her lap before sighing and looking Yang directly in the eyes. "I need to travel to Haven soon."_

_This seemingly random announcement confused Yang. "Haven, as in Haven Academy in Mistral? Why?"_

" _Uncle Qrow… told me some important things," Ruby began carefully. "Things involving me and who we're up against. Haven is the only lead we have right now, apparently."_

" _When are you planning on leaving?" Yang asked, all of this coming as a sudden shock. She hadn't expected this at all. As strong as Ruby was, it was too much to rely on her for something so dangerous. Or any of them for that matter. Pyrrha had proven that much._

_Ruby hesitated before answering, determination gradually taking over the uncertainty in her expression. She had made up her mind and nothing anyone said would deter her. "Whenever I'm strong enough to travel. Don't tell dad, okay? You know he'll try to stop me."_

What else could she do other than promise? If Ruby wanted to do this, nobody could stop her. No matter how much they might want to. By the time Winter had come around, she was ready to head out to Mistral alongside the remaining members of team JNPR. She'd kept her plans vague, maybe because she didn't really know what she was doing beyond getting to Haven Academy.

_After knocking and being invited in the room, Ruby stepped inside. She had a bag packed ready, Crescent Rose fixed to her belt. Her deep red cloak swished slightly as she approached the bed. "I… have to go now. To Haven. I really wish I could take you with me, Yang. You too, Blake… and Weiss, even though she'd moan about it the whole way."_

_Ruby had taken the words right out of Yang's mouth. She hated the thought of her sister leaving to do something so dangerous without her, but they had little choice. Yang wasn't in any state to travel. Even she could see that. "So do I, sis. You'll have to do enough fighting for all of team RWBY. Give 'em hell."_

_Blake nodded in approval with the send off message. "What she said."_

_Ruby smiled at them both, equal parts thankful and nervous, before turning to Blake specifically. "Take good care of Yang for me."_

_That made Blake smile. "She can take care of herself just fine, but I will."_

" _Damn right I can!" Yang protested, trying to lighten the grim mood. Someday, somehow, they would reunite. Until then, they would all work hard towards their goals._

" _Don't go having any parties while I'm away. I'll never forgive you!" With those words, Ruby gave them both a quick group hug and left._

That was the last time she had seen her sister since she left for Mistral. Off wandering across Remnant. Who knew where she was now?

Noticing the worry in Yang's voice and expression, Blake stepped in quickly to reassure her. "She has Jaune, Ren and Nora with her, so she's not alone. That's something."

Tired of feeling sad and fearful for her sister's situation and the wider crisis across Remnant, Yang turned to humor, "Seems like they have well and truly stolen our teammate… sneaky thieves." Even without Pyrrha's valued membership, team JNPR were more than capable of handling themselves. Even though she knew that, she'd much rather be fighting beside Ruby now, along with Blake and Weiss. "Maybe, just maybe, we can fight as a team again one day. First, we have to ship ourselves over to Atlas and drag Weiss back. By force if necessary." And she would need to really get used to life with only one arm… that was a whole different struggle altogether. Yes, she'd made progress but it wasn't enough. Not yet.

"We will fight as a team again. I just know it," Blake reassured, wholeheartedly believing this. "Besides, even if Ruby and Weiss aren't here with us, we're still team RWBY. No matter how far away we are from one another, that fact remains."

"I won't argue with that. Although, I prefer it when everyone's around," Yang admitted with a somewhat distant expression. They hadn't heard from Weiss since she left for Atlas. She probably wasn't in much danger but it was still worrying.

Blake's ears drooped. She and Weiss might not see eye to eye all the time, but they would still do anything to protect each other. As for Ruby, she was the glue keeping the group together. "Yeah…"

Trying to push back the melancholy, Yang exhaled deeply and looked over at her friend. "At least we're here together. That's a start."

"A _very_ good start," Blake agreed as they pressed on. When they had walked a fair way from the house, they both took refuge under the nearest tree. The morning sun cast a warm glow through the leaves, casting shadows. A few spring flowers were starting to poke through the grass, signs that winter was over.

Yang started picking at the grass. There was something she needed to discuss with Blake… a few things, actually. She might only be able to manage one now, though. "Blake…"

"Yeah?"

Swallowing hard, the blonde huntress steeled her resolve and began, "I… want to talk. About Beacon. I think I'm finally ready now. If that's okay with you." She was understandably hesitant approaching this topic but now felt like the right time.

"Of course. Go ahead," Blake encouraged. She hadn't wanted to push Yang about it, figuring that it was much better to let her bring the topic up on her own. Forcing never worked well on Yang. She was stubborn, through and through.

Yang nodded, continuing to play with the blades of grass. She'd had this conversation a million times in her head, wondering just how to word it. Each time when she thought she had it sorted, she chickened out at the last minute. She wanted to be honest with Blake, let her know what was going on in her head. Sitting on these thoughts wouldn't do her any good.

"We lost good people at Beacon. Good friends. Penny and… Pyrrha. Not to mention Ozpin. I don't want to lose anyone else. I _can't_." If she lost Weiss, Ruby, not to mention the rest of her family, or… Blake, that would be it for her. How could she ever get back from that?

Blake nodded sympathetically, having had similar thoughts before. It was hard to know what to think these days. "Then you know what we have to do? We let our enemies know that we won't be pushed around. We protect our friends and family. We fight back. What we don't do is give up. That way, we've already failed."

Yang's mind wandered back to the robotic arm Atlas' general, James Ironwood, had sent her. It was stashed away in one of her drawers, never seeing the light of day. She had been reluctant to wear it for so many reasons. Her arms wasn't the only thing she had lost that day and replacing it would only help so much.

"Blake, I know what I have to do to fight back but… I don't know if I can." Fighting had led to death, but so would surrendering. Their enemy wouldn't just let them all live, not after they had resisted so vigorously.

Blake gently took her by the shoulder, staring into her lilac eyes, "Of course you can. You are Yang Xiao Long. Fearless huntress. Valuable member of team RWBY. My friend, the best I've ever had." Not to mention so much more than that. Over these past couple of months in particular, she had grown even closer with Yang, gotten to know her so much better. Blake had found herself growing used to Yang's bad jokes and over-eagerness, while liking other parts of her even more than she already did. It had come to the point where she didn't know what she'd do without the mischievous blonde. If only she could tell Yang exactly how she felt… she could never find the right words when the time came, like now.

A cheeky grin crossed Yang's features. "And here I was thinking Weiss was your bestie."

Blake's face scrunched up in melodramatic disgust as she let her hand drop from Yang's shoulder to the grass again. "I know you're kidding but that's still a scary thought. My point, you can do anything. I _know_ you can."

"I don't know about that…" There was still one thing Yang was too scared to do... and it involved Blake.

"The Yang I know can do anything she puts her mind to." Yang was stubborn to the core. That could be both her most aggravating yet endearing trait. She would equally never give up on a friend. Ever.

"You think so?" Yang asked curiously.

Blake shook her head slowly, a tender smile tugging at her lips. "I _know_ so."

The blonde huntress allowed herself a small smile as she leaned back further against the tree, briefly looking up at the sky. Hearing Blake say that of all people made her _really_ happy. "Well, if you know that then how can it be wrong?"

"Precisely. So, don't worry about it. We'll manage somehow. Especially if you're there with me." Blake believed that with all her heart and soul. With Yang here, there was nothing to fear.

"I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. Unless you're coming too." Cautiously, Yang allowed her hand to brush against Blake's. If nothing else, she could pass it off as an accident.

Blake noticed, but tried hard not to react. If she did, she might scare Yang away. She didn't want that. Her heart was beating fast in her chest as she felt warmth over the top of her hand, fingers slowly intertwining. Instead of pulling away like she might have done before out of nervousness and uncertainty, she let it happen. She wouldn't run anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...and we'll end it there. A little cruel, I know. Have a great day and see you next time.


	4. Courage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, welcome back to the fic. This should be good...

**Chapter Four: Courage**

**The Next Day - Late Morning**

After breakfast, Yang and Blake had returned to bed for a little while. They didn't have much planned today and it was Saturday, a day for rest. As Yang laid in bed, listening to the birds sing their morning songs, her conversation with Blake yesterday ran on repeat over and over in her mind. The dark-haired faunus had so much faith in her. Yang had no idea where that faith came from, but felt stronger for it. She looked over at Blake, who had made it a habit to cuddle up close when she slept. She could have her own bed if she really wanted, it'd probably be much comfier, but she always insisted on staying with Yang. The blonde huntress never argued with her. Why would she?

After some time, Blake's ears twitched and she stretched out, bleary eyes slowly opening as she woke from her nap. Almost instinctively, she curled back in on herself to combat the cool air that rushed under the sheets when she moved.

"Hey," Yang greeted gently.

"Mmm…" Blake replied with a sleepy sound, gripping on tighter to Yang's shirt. It was pretty cute.

In that moment, Yang decided that she was done hiding from the inevitable and ready to start fighting once more. She had a lot of things to fight for, Blake being one of them. When they had both woken up properly, she carefully eased herself out of bed with Blake's help and approached the drawer containing the robot arm. She removed the box and opened the lid, revealing the prosthetic limb. Taking a deep breath, she attached the arm to the metal plate covering her injury. Once adjusted, she tried clenching her fist watching as the fingers curled on command. It felt weird but at least it seemed to work.

"So… what's the verdict?" Blake asked cautiously, hoping for a positive reaction. This was a big step for Yang and could go one of two ways.

"Not as bad as I was imagining," Yang admitted as she examined the arm in more detail. "Although, it's a bit bland. I think it needs a personal touch, don't you?"

Blake rolled her eyes, although she was just happy to see Yang relatively excited about something. "Of course the first thing you think about is customization…"

"It needs to match my outfits. Otherwise, what's the point?" A contemplative expression crossed her features as she turned her new arm over, inspecting it. "I'm thinking… yellow. Maybe a bit of black too."

"Sounds perfect," Blake agreed, nodding. "Yellow and black go well together."

"They sure do." There seemed to be something more to those words, a hidden message. It made Blake's heart pick up. Maybe she was imagining it or it was wishful thinking, but… before she had the chance to ask, Yang moved on. "I think we have a couple of spray cans out in the shed."

They made their way outside the house to the shed and took two paint spray cans, one yellow and one black as well as a square of cardboard to protect the grass from paint. Between them, they transformed the plain arm into something much more befitting of Yang.

"Awesome, let's go test it out!" Yang mentioned excitedly once the paint had dried, grabbing Blake by the hand and pulling her along. Trying not to trip, Blake followed behind her until they found a clearing big enough to practice. Yang stood across from her, assuming an over-exaggerated fighting stance, motioning her closer with two fingers. "Bring it."

"Yang, just remember to take it easy, okay?" Blake added cautiously. Yang might be strong, but it had been a while since she had fought. On top of that, she had yet to get used to her arm in a fighting scenario.

Yang grinned cheekily, eyes flickering with mischief. "Only for your benefit."

Feeling a competitive flame light itself in her chest, Blake got into position. "Oh, now it's on."

Despite her disadvantages, Yang fought with fierce tenacity. She was a little rusty, but that was to be expected. It was a bit frustrating not being able to just go all in like before, she wasn't recovered enough for that. Slowly, she would have to build up her full strength again and get used to her new arm. Blake dodged her attacks easily, although she did feel the wind from a few strikes once or twice. By the end, Yang's muscles ached and she felt completely spent. She flopped down on the grass, panting. She hadn't felt this alive in months. Blake joined her, a reserved smile quirking at her lips. It was nice to see Yang like this, ready to fight again and smiling.

After some time, Yang sat up and took a sip of water from the bottle Blake passed her. Their fingers brushed lightly as the bottle passed hands, something both of them noticed. The brief moment of contact rekindled the debate Yang had been thinking over for the past couple of days especially… whether to tell Blake how she felt. Recently, she had realized something very scary, that she liked Blake. More than she had first thought. That brought with it a whole bunch of problems and possibilities. Would Blake feel the same? Even if she did, was it too soon? Something told her that the dark-haired faunus might like her back, but she just didn't know for certain. Normally, she plowed into situations without giving them much thought. The problem was… Blake meant a hell of a lot to her and she didn't want to lose her. Ever.

That was when she remembered something Ruby had told her once. _If you don't try, you'll never know, right? Sure, it might be scary but isn't it scarier not ever knowing one way or the other? Missing an opportunity to make yourself and other people happy seems scarier to me, anyway._

She couldn't for the life of her remember exactly why she'd said it, but that didn't matter now. What _was_ important was that it applied here.

Unable to hold it in anymore, Yang made a decision. She was tired of uncertainty. "Listen Blake… there's something I've been meaning to tell you for a while now. I guess my mind's been preoccupied with... other things. Just when I think I'm brave enough to say it, I lose all my confidence."

"Yang…" Blake started to say, not having planned ahead beyond that.

"Please, just let me say what I have to say. Then, you can say or do whatever you want. I don't need another reason to stall." Yang took a deep breath before starting. "When we started out at Beacon and I first met you I never suspected we could ever become as close as we have. We're basically polar opposites in so many ways."

That was true enough. Despite that fact, however, the pair had become close friends. On the surface they might not have much in common and have drastically different personalities, but they still found plenty to talk and laugh about together. Taking a short pause, Yang gathered her thoughts. In its own way, this was much scarier than any battle she had ever fought in. Fighting was a language she knew well, this was… harder somehow.

"When we found out you were a faunus and you ran… I was so worried. That day, I vowed I wouldn't let you face your problems alone again. Maybe I came across as nosy or intrusive, especially when you were looking into the White Fang, but I didn't want to see you sad or scared. Not if there was something I could do to help." Carefully, she reached out to take Blake's hand in hers. "I'm trying to move on with my life, letting go of the anger and focusing on the here and now… focusing on you." She paused, realizing that she was rambling a bit now. "What I'm trying to say is that I care about you, a lot. More than I probably should."

"Yang, are you…?" The words were swallowed up by silence as their eyes connected.

"If I haven't made myself clear enough already, I like you, Blake. Not just as a friend. It's stupid, normally I can be so much clearer and direct, but…" Around Blake, she felt vulnerable, something she usually tried not to feel. This was a _different_ kind of vulnerable, though. She shook her head, summarizing her feelings to make it clear. The last thing either of them needed was misunderstanding. "I like you."

As tempting as it was for Blake to just run away from all the feelings that confession brought along with it like she would have before, she stayed. Deep down, she'd already known. The way Yang looked at her sometimes, especially over the past few weeks, made it pretty obvious. Yang was doing it right now. As for Blake… those looks made her heart race in the best way. Maybe that was her answer.

Blake cleared her throat, feeling her cheeks heat up as she tried to find the right words. "I'm not very good with this kind of thing, and I certainly don't have a speech planned out, but… I like you too, Yang. A lot. You've always been there when I needed you, you don't let me hide and you make me smile more than anyone else has ever managed. Not just anyone can do that. You're the best friend I could ever hope for and… so much more."

Yang couldn't stifle the grin as she listened. "Well, for not having a speech prepared that was pretty effective."

"I… maybe I've thought about the p-possibility before. Once or… twice," Blake admitted awkwardly. Her mind sometimes wandered to strange territory, showing her what she really wanted but was too scared to ask for. She'd tried ignoring it, scared what Yang would think of her if she ever let slip. Only now did she realize just how stupid that worry had been.

"Oh, so _now_ the truth comes out," Yang added teasingly to hide her own mild embarrassment, to take her mind off how fast her heart was beating right now and her hands shaking.

Too embarrassed for this, Blake hide behind her hands and refused to look at Yang. Second later she felt hands pry hers apart gently, lilac eyes looking into her amber ones. They told her that things would work out just fine so long as she trusted… and she did trust Yang.

"Blake, can I kiss you?" Yang asked softly, eyes conveying gentle longing.

"Wh... How… I…" Words rapidly failed Blake, leaving her with nothing to do but nod. She _did_ want that. Only now did she realize just how much.

Smiling at her friend's response, Yang leaned in and kiss her. A gentle, brief exchange at first, testing the waters. "See, that wasn't so scary, was it?"

Blake shook her head at the whispered question, wanting to experience the sensation again. A million times over. Her wish was soon granted as their lips collided once more, exchanging a tender second kiss. This time was longer, less uncertain. In that moment, time stood still, everything that had happened before and everything that would come after this completely irrelevant. Seconds felt like hours as they treasured this time.

"So… how was it?" Yang needed to hear it from Blake, know that she wanted this as much as she did before she got her hopes up and lost herself to the feeling.

"I… enjoyed it. A lot," Blake answered simply yet honestly.

"Ah, so you've found your words again. Good," Yang chuckled, placing her left hand on Blake's cheek, her thumb brushing lightly against warm skin.

"W-well, what do you expect asking me s-something like that out of the blue?" Blake replied defensively, feeling very vulnerable right now. Not in a bad way.

"Isn't that what people who like each other do? Especially after such heartfelt confessions," Yang stated matter-of-factly.

"I… I guess, but…" Blake didn't have an counter argument for that. Yang wasn't wrong.

Deciding to save her from painful stuttering, Yang kissed her a third time, confirming that she wasn't dreaming all this. She felt Blake relax against her, sighing contently as she responded to the kiss.

"Well then, that's what we'll do, okay?" Yang whispered as she pulled away just a fraction, resting her forehead against Blake's. This was so surreal.

Again lost for words, Blake shyly replied with the only word she could right now. "Okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cranking up the gay to 11! Have a great day guys and see you next time for the finale.


	5. Leave

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, one and all. Welcome to the final chapter of this fic. It's been a good run.

**Chapter Five: Leave**

**A Few Weeks Later**

In a clearing, sheltered from the sun and wind by looming trees, stood two teenage girls. One had wavy blonde hair, intensely staring down the other, a dark-haired faunus. Lilac eyes connected with amber, challenging sparking between them. You could cut the tension with a knife, both waiting for the other to make the first move. Each time one of them shifted even an inch, the other would tense up, preparing themselves for the fight to begin. To an outsider, it might seem like they loathed one another. A genuine one vs. one duel to the death. That couldn't be further from the truth.

Yang and Blake were closer than they had even been before.

With expert precision, Blake suddenly swung Gambol Shroud – now in its Kusarigama form – directly at her friend, using the momentum to her advantage. She was the first to break the deadlock. Just as it was about to hit Yang she blocked it with her right gauntlet, the one which had been altered slightly to fit her new arm, throwing out a punch with her free hand in return. Reflexes cat-like, Blake dodged out of the way, using the outstretched arm as a foothold to backflip, sending her far out of reach. She landed in a crouched stance, sliding across the ground a short way and kicking up some dirt, poised to strike again.

This time, Yang charged forward, feigning right then sliding and sweeping underneath Blake's feet. The dark-haired faunus jumped up out of the way, anchoring the blade of her weapon into a nearby tree trunk and swinging around it to evade the incoming strike. Without hesitation, Yang surged forward, tapping into her semblance and leaving a fist shaped hole in the tree Blake had once used as leverage. Noticing the move before it happened, the dark haired faunus propelled herself as far away from the tree as possible, watching it splinter on impact and her shadow copy disperse in a wisp.

"What did that poor tree ever do to you?" Blake asked amusedly as she circled the other huntress, cleaver blades poised.

Yang matched her step for step, hands up and clenched into fists, solitary rays of sunlight that had pushed through the natural canopy glinting off Ember Celica. "Being an ally to you. Such a traitor."

The blonde huntress had definitely gotten her strength back, and then some. If anything, she was only more determined and resolute in battle. There were some slight changes, however. She wasn't quite as ready to charge in all guns blazing. Instead, she planned her attacks more carefully. At Beacon, she had learned that lesson the hard way. Better late than never, she supposed.

Done circling Blake ran forward, planning to use her semblance to definitively swing things her way. She still had a few tricks up her sleeve. Competitive streak taking over, Yang shot at Blake's feet. Not close enough to hit her, but enough to throw her concentration and balance. The faunus stumbled forwards, doing her best not to fall flat on her face. Using the moment of distraction to her advantage, Yang pushed herself towards her temporarily distracted opponent. Before Blake knew it, she had been tackled to the ground, her arms pinned to her sides as her fellow huntress straddled her.

A smug grin broke out on her face as she looked down at her girlfriend, who was trying to break free unsuccessfully. "Guess that means I win, huh?"

"You cheated," Blake protested as she struggled, huffing angrily. "We said no guns."

Yang grinned, amused at her attempts to escape. Even if Blake didn't want to admit it, the blonde huntress was much stronger than her. "That's what a sore loser would claim."

"Yang Xiao Long, I-" Before she could launch into a huge, running complaint, Yang leaned down and kissed her. Protests instantly forgotten, their lips collided in a sweet and tender kiss. Being able to do this was still a novelty for the pair, and they planned on taking advantage of it as much as possible.

When they broke apart Blake felt herself smile, unable to stay mad. "Are you trying to distract me from my rightly felt sense of betrayal, Yang Xiao Long…? Because it's working."

"Maybe I am," Yang ran her fingers through dark hair, playfully flicking cat-like ears. She knew that was a weak spot for Blake, even though she claimed otherwise.

Reluctantly, Blake resigned herself to the action, secretly enjoying the attention. Normally, people touching her ears really bothered her. With Yang… it was different. She was always gently, never applying too much pressure whatever she did. Blake's ears were pretty sensitive and Yang seemed to understand that. Conversely, the same could be said of the blonde huntress. Her flowing, golden locks were her pride and joy. Anyone who messed with her hair would be in for a beating. When Blake ran her fingers through the soft, wavy strands of gold, Yang seemed to like it. In fact, she encouraged it sometimes.

"Who's a good kitty cat?" Yang teased playfully, reaching the best spot at the base of her ears.

"And who's going to get a punch in the face when I get up?" Blake cautioned, trying to sound genuinely threatening but failing as she melted at Yang's touch.

Yang shrugged, not relenting. "Well, since I quite like my face the way it is… I guess we'll be staying like this forever then."

Blake closed her eyes for a moment, sighing contently. "I wouldn't mind."

"Neither would I." Yang's expression faltered slightly as she pressed ahead. "I just… part of me doubted whether I would ever be able to do this with you. Guess that's why I get carried away sometimes. Now, I realize that was stupid of me. Stupid to worry and doubt so much."

"You weren't the only one, Yang," Blake reassured, before narrowing her eyes a fraction. "And don't think all this soppy stuff absolves you from your cheating earlier. Far from it."

"We'll see about that…" A huge grin tugged at the blonde huntress' lips as she let Blake up, helping her to her feet. "At least we can be stupid together."

"That was so cheesy…" Blake groaned, rolling her eyes as she dusted herself off. "Guess I wouldn't have you any other way."

"Now look who's being the cheesy one." Yang grinned as she affectionately nudged her shoulder.

The dark-haired faunus bumped her back, grinning. "You must be rubbing off on me."

"You make that sound like a bad thing. So rude," Yang pouted, crossing her arms. "I think you owe me an apology."

To stop her from sulking, Blake leaned in again and kissed her. It seemed to do the trick. "Will that do?"

"You're getting there," the blonde huntress added with a smirk, wrapping her arms around Blake's waist and stealing yet another kiss again.

"Let's call it even," Blake mentioned softly, staring deeply into the other huntress' eyes. If only she could stay here in this moment forever. She looked away sadly.

Noticing the shift, Yang moved her hand to Blake's cheek and gently forced her head up. "Blake, what's wrong?"

Conflicted for a moment as to whether she should say anything and ruin the moment more than she already had, Blake finally decided to talk about it. "I… it'd be nice to stay here forever, don't you think? Just like this."

"Agreed. There's nothing I would want more actually. One day, we'll be able to have as much time to ourselves as we want," Yang reassured, wanting nothing more than to see her smiling again. Happy and carefree.

Blake graced her with a small, melancholic smile. "I hope that day comes soon…"

"We'll _make_ it," Yang announced resolutely, lightly bumping her forehead against Blake's. Somehow, together they would.

* * *

**A Couple of Weeks Later**

Muttering to herself, Blake sat at Yang's desk as she reviewed all the recent information she had collected about the White Fang, adding her own personal experience into the mix. She'd managed to get in touch with her parents and warn them, or at least the message would get to them soon. Hopefully, they would take her advice seriously. She didn't want to see more things destroyed by the group she had once believed in wholeheartedly.

Without warning, she felt arms snake around her, making her jump. She turned to see Yang smiling at her. "Goddammit, Yang. You scared me."

"Sorry, thought you knew I had come in," Yang chuckled lightly at her, jumping back out of reach just in case Blake decided to shove her as payback. Satisfied she wasn't going to, she approached the faunus again. "Guess you were deep in thought."

"You could say that," Blake muttered to herself, pushing her findings aside for now. Seeing how tense she was, Yang started to massage her shoulders, working out the knots. The faunus sighed, feeling herself relax. Despite Yang's normally heavy-handedness, she was gentle as she worked, thumbs gliding over skin. Soon, she moved her hands up, rubbing Blake's temples. "Thanks, I needed that."

Placing a kiss on her forehead, Yang drew up another chair and sat down, gently flicking one of Blake's ears. "No problem. That's why I'm here." Her expression turned more solemn as she dug around in her pocket, pulling out a piece of paper. She placed a letter on the desk, the handwriting familiar. "Ruby sent me a letter. Told me she's in Mistral now."

"That's good to know she made it in one piece."

"Of course, she's related to me after all. How could she not be okay?" Yang might act tough and confident, but she had been worried about her little sister. Ruby was a strong fighter, that was for sure, but it took much more than that… as Pyrrha had proven. Luck mostly, and that was in short supply these days.

Blake wasn't about to call her out. "True enough."

"Now that I'm strong enough, I want to meet her. I was hoping that… you would come too," Yang proposed hesitantly. She had a feeling Blake would come with her, but she didn't want to get ahead of herself. They were a team and had to decide things together. Now more than ever.

"Do you even have to ask? Of course," Blake answered without a single hint of hesitation.

"I like to give you an illusion of choice at least," Yang added wryly, letting out a soft sigh of relief. She didn't want to be apart from Blake, especially after what they had been through. "Now all we have to do is get Weiss back and team RWBY will be back in action."

Blake allowed herself a smile as she imagined Weiss carrying out a full-on 'Shawshank Redemption' type escape from the Atlas kingdom. "You never know, she might have already escaped and is on her way as we speak."

"She never did take orders well," Yang added, remembering all the times Weiss' authority had been challenged… and how poorly those attempts had gone.

The dark haired faunus smiled fondly, recalling them too. "She wouldn't be Weiss without the haughty defiance and icy glare."

"Not to mention the superiority complex," Yang mentioned with a smirk.

"That too…" Blake agreed, sighing deeply just a second after. "I wish she was here."

Yang nodded sadly, clearly missing her as much. "Me too. Hopefully soon, she will be. Fate works in strange ways."

"That's one way of putting it. Weiss is certainly a strange one."

"Don't let her hear you say that," Yang mentioned, amused by the mental image that brought about. Weiss wasn't the most forgiving of people. Although, she had improved over time, not quite as aggressive and insulting as when they first met her.

"I won't trust me," Blake promised. Weiss sure as hell didn't need any ammo to start a fight. She would gladly entertain her insults to see her again. Yang would too. Hopefully, their wish would be granted in time.

Meeting up with Ruby would be a start to reuniting team RWBY.

* * *

**A Few Days Later**

After days of packing, Blake and Yang were all set to head out to Mistral and meet up with Ruby. The journey would be a long one, traveling from Vale to Mistral not being an easy path to follow, but they had to do this. Ruby needed them, and they needed her just as much.

"Ready?" Blake asked as she slung their bag of essentials over her shoulder.

Yang turned to her, nodding. No more sitting around doing nothing anymore. "I was born ready."

"Uh-huh, sure you were," the dark-haired faunus replied skeptically.

"I really was and I'll prove it!" Yang replied with childish defiance as they exited the house, Taiyang close behind them to wave them off. They stopped in front of the house, just short of Yang's bike leaning against the wall.

Taiyang gave them a warm smile looking proud, as well as a little sad. "Well, this is it then. Be safe my sunny little dragon and take care. Same for you, Blake. Look after each other. Say hi to Ruby for me and make sure she stays out of trouble."

Yang took a step forwards, lightly pulling Blake along by her wrist, and the three of them shared a warm embrace. "We'll be careful. Don't worry, dad."

"It's my job to worry," he pointed out, letting them go. "Go on, now. Off on your adventure. Don't forget to send me a postcard or two."

"You can count on it," Yang reassured as she got onto her bike, starting the engine with a loud purr.

Hesitantly, Blake joined her on the back, gripping on tight to Yang as they sped off down the road. She rested her head against her girlfriend's back, appreciating the warmth she had almost let go willingly. Change came in all forms, some good, some bad. Never for a second did she doubt that the way her relationship with Yang had changed was anything but good.

She was eternally glad that she'd decided to stay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that's a wrap. I'll do my best to get more RWBY stuff out when I have time and think up more ideas, especially for Bumblebee as I believe Yang/Blake are referred to. Since the Menagerie trip didn't make it into this fic, I'll either add it as a bonus chapter or make it a one-shot. We'll see which I ultimately decide on. So, for now, thanks for reading, have an awesome day and hope to see you in another fic.


	6. Bonus Chapter 1: Meet the Parents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A promise once made finally fulfilled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here's a chapter I wanted to do that didn't quite fit into the main body of the story. Thought I may as well tag it onto the end of this, 'cuz why not?

**Bonus Chapter 1: Meet the Parents**

**Two Years Later - Menagerie**

A boat pulled into dock, coming from a long journey; it had crossed all the way from the Kingdom of Vale. It's destination: Menagerie - the designated homeland of the Faunus population. After the great war between Salem's forces - predominantly Grimm - and the rest of Remnant, many had left to aid the cause, only some of whom could or wanted to return. With the White Fang's hostile leader, Adam Taurus, out of the picture, the group returned to peaceful protest. Their help in the Grimm war had earned them some respect. It would be a long road to true equality, many still wary of the Faunus, but these were the first steps on that path.

It had been several months since Salem's forces had been defeated. The aftermath could still be felt across Remnant, the great pillars of knowledge - the huntsmen academies of Beacon, Haven, Atlas, and Shade - only just beginning to recover from the devastation. With Salem gone, the Grimm had retreated into the shadows for the time being, beaten but not defeated. No doubt they would return, but for now they were no longer a serious threat. Ruby Rose, a young huntress who had still been in training at the time of Beacon Academy's fall, had been at the heart of it all, alongside her teammates in battle. Two of her aforementioned team members happened to be on the very same boat now entering Mistral's shoreline.

Two young women stepped off the boat, hand in hand. One was a returning member of the Faunus community - dark hair, amber eyes and cat-like ears. The other, her girlfriend - flowing golden locks, lilac eyes and a spray painted yellow and black robotic right arm. The journey they had made today was part of a promise made back when Salem was still around. It had taken some time to fulfill, too much going on to act on it sooner. Finally, they could properly act upon it.

They took a moment to examine their surroundings. With the White Fang around, Menagerie had seen some fighting and destruction. Not as much as some areas of Remnant, but enough. Slowly, they were rebuilding and going back to how things were before, well… not exactly, but as close as they could get. Everyone was gradually coming out of hiding, returning to their old lives as best they could.

"So, have you told them about us?" the golden-haired woman asked, gently swinging her left arm.

The dark-haired Faunus turned to her companion, clearing her throat as their arms continued to sway in sync. "I… did, yeah."

Lilac eyes widened in pleasant surprise. "Wait, you actually did? Huh… I was half-expecting you to hide it."

Her partner had never been the most forthcoming of people, preferring to hide in the shadows. To be fair, she had changed a lot since their first meeting. They had their ups and downs, their fights and fun… none of it she would skip over. Not for anything.

The dark-haired girl of the pair stopped suddenly, pulling her girlfriend back. "I don't want to hide you, Yang. You're the best thing that's happened to me; no competition."

Yang grinned, nudging her shoulder with her free hand. "Aw, quit getting all sappy on me, Blake."

Done with hesitation, Blake stared straight into those now familiar lilac eyes. "It might be sappy, but it's true."

"Come here," Yang demanded, pressing her lips against Blake's. The pair shared a tender kiss, not caring who saw them. After everything they had been through, they wanted to express their feelings for one another as much as possible.

Eventually, Blake pulled back. "As much as I would love to stand here all day with you, my parents will be waiting. Don't want them to send out a search party."

Giving her one last kiss, Yang nodded. "Lead on."

As they approached Blake's childhood home, the dark-haired huntress turned to Yang. She seemed confident and composed as always, although she had noticed the grip on her hand tightening ever so slightly as they got closer.

Deciding to check in on how she was really doing instead of guessing, Blake gave Yang's hand a firm squeeze back. "Nervous?"

That made Yang scoff. "Me? Nervous? Nah, of course not. Yang Xiao Long doesn't get nervous."

One of Blake's eyebrows raised, skeptical. "Uh-huh, sure thing. The bravado's really working for you."

Letting out a soft sigh, the golden-haired huntress' expression shifted from total confidence to a flicker of hesitation. "Okay, maybe I am a little. This is… a big deal."

Not wanting her to feel too much pressure, Blake gave her a soothing smile. "Yang, please don't worry. Just be yourself and I know my parents will adore you, just like I do."

"Well, duh, what isn't there to like?" Yang mentioned with a smug grin.

Blake rolled her eyes. "You want a list?"

Feigning a hurt expression, she stifled a chuckle. "Ouch, that's cold."

"You don't need an ego boost," Blake stated matter-of-factly. "And you damn well know what I think."

Grinning once again, Yang gave her companion a wink. "Never hurts to hear it again."

Soon enough, the pair made it to Blake's family home. For both of them, this was an important first meeting. Parental approval - while not necessary - did make things a lot easier. Her father would be the real struggle out of her parents, hard to gain respect from. If anyone could do it, it would be Yang, Blake was certain of that.

The dark-haired Faunus took a deep breath and knocked on the door. It only took a few seconds for it to open. A woman with short, dark hair and yellow eyes stood in the doorway. Her black cat ears were pierced, three in total – two on the right and one on the left, all gold. She smiled when her eyes settled on her daughter, then Yang. Behind her was a tall, muscular man, with black hair and a bushy beard. He wore a dark violet open coat with a white fur trim, exposing his chest. All in all, he was a very imposing man.

Feeling anxious all of a sudden, Blake glanced over at her girlfriend. She appeared relaxed, giving the Faunus a subtle wink when their eyes met. Clearing her throat, Blake motioned to Yang. "Mom, dad, this is Yang."

Her mother gave a warm, inviting smile. "We've heard so much about you, dear."

"A surprising amount," her father added gruffly, his eyes never leaving Yang as he sized her up.

Yang returned a smile of her own. "Good things, I hope."

"Of course," the older woman reassured, stepping aside to let them in. "Come in, make yourself at home."

Accepting the offer, Yang stepped inside. "Thanks, Mrs. Belladonna."

Blake's mother waved away her words. "Oh, please, call me Kali and my husband Ghira. No need for formalities here."

Not missing a beat, Yang gave a slight nod. "Well, thank you, Kali."

Taking the lead, Kali herded them all inside. "You are most welcome."

The four of them made their way to the dining table, Kali preparing some tea and snacks before bringing them over to the table.

Ghira remained stone-faced, staring her down as his wife passed him a cup. "So, Yang, you met our daughter at Beacon, correct?"

Sighing, Kali glared at her husband disapprovingly. "Ghira, please don't make this sound like an interrogation." She turned to Yang with an apologetic smile. "Forgive my husband, he gets very protective over our little girl."

"Mom, I'm hardly little anymore," Blake whined.

"It's fine, I understand." Yang took a large gulp of her drink before continuing. "To answer your question, yes we did. We formed a team together with my sister, Ruby, and another girl originally from Atlas, Weiss."

Ghira nodded stiffly, taking a sip from his own mug. "I see."

Ignoring his less than enthusiastic response, Kali more than made up for it. "A fortunate meeting."

"It sure was," Yang agreed, passing a grin Blake's way and taking hold of her hand. "I was very lucky to become close with someone as amazing as Blake."

Shaking her head, Blake sighed. "Are you trying to embarrass me?"

"Not really, but I could if you wanted," Yang added casually, trying to keep the overly smug smirk off her face. She had a lot of dirt on Blake.

"Speaking of embarrassing, I'm sure we could share a few stories and pic-" Kali's sentence was cut off immediately.

Blake narrowed her eyes at her mother, interrupting. "Nope, I'm drawing a definite line here."

"Aw, come on. I wanna see and hear all the stupid things you've done," Yang coaxed, lightly nudging her leg under the table.

Unimpressed, Blake nudged her back with chastising force. "You've already got plenty of ammo on me."

"Another time, perhaps," Kali suggested.

Yang nodded eagerly. "Oh yes, definitely."

"Ugh, I knew this would happen…" Blake mumbled, focusing on the steam swirling from her mug.

"Yet you willingly let it," the golden-haired huntress pointed out.

As much as she didn't want to admit it, that was true. "I must be mad."

"We're all a little mad here, Blake," her father finally added, managing a slight smile. A rarity.

Attention now turning to Blake's parents, Yang titled her head slightly to the side, curious. "So, how have things been for you guys?"

Kali's carefree expression faltered for a moment now the conversation had turned to a more serious topic. "Better now. It was rough, for a time. Taking the White Fang back wasn't easy, still isn't."

"Taurus had and still does have a strong hold on the extremist side of the Faunus population," Ghira mentioned, his fist clenching and teeth gritting. "Doesn't help that he managed to escape."

Blake's ears drooped slightly at the mention of Adam. She had been so naïve back then, too caught up in her zealous beliefs to see the whole picture. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Yang's arm – a cruel reminder.

Noticing the guilt, Yang squeezed her hand again, comforting. "We'll get him. And he _will_ pay for his part in this."

"Agreed. I won't rest until then," Ghira all but growled, downing the rest of his drink. His yellow eyes were filled with a desire for vengeance.

"Between us all, we'll find him," Kali mentioned, much calmer than her husband. "In the meantime, we have a lot to reorganize. Most are supportive of the move to a more peaceful agenda. After all the fighting, everyone just wants to get on with their lives."

"I know that feeling well," Yang muttered to herself.

Seeing an opportunity to leave, Blake stood. "I'll just take Yang's stuff to my room, okay?"

Her mother smiled once more. "Of course, dear. Feel free to stay as long as you like, Yang. I'll let you know when dinner is ready later, around six I reckon."

After Yang thanked Kali, she and Blake left the table and entered Blake's bedroom. Shutting the door behind her, Yang placed her bag over by the bedside table and took a moment to inspect her surroundings. The room had a dark color scheme, very simple yet cozy. There were a ton of pillows and fuzzy blankets gathered together on the double bed, almost like a nest.

"How did you survive at Beacon without all this?" Yang motioned to the mess of comfort, wanting to dive face first into the pile.

"It was… tough," Blake admitted shyly. "Home comforts and all."

Without warning, Yang took a short run up and jumped into the mountain. "Sorry, had an overwhelming compulsion to do that."

Blake joined her in a more composed manner. "You wouldn't be the only one."

They both laid on their backs, staring up at the ceiling, hands loosely intertwined. Silence passed over them, not uncomfortable or awkward. It was pleasant. With all the things they had seen and experienced, silence was welcomed. A moment of respite they could truly relax in, together.

After some time, Yang turned onto her side. "I'm glad we finally made it here."

Following her lead, Blake too shuffled over to face her girlfriend. "Me too. Not going to lie, for a time it didn't seem like it was going to happen."

There had been too many close calls to count, so many near death experiences. Somehow, they had managed to overcome them all and live to tell the tale. Of course, there had been sacrifices, lots of them. Still, it had all been worth it to get here.

Noting the sudden wave of melancholy, Yang reached out to cup her cheek. She hated seeing Blake even the slightest bit sad. Amber eyes met lilac, conveying more meaning than words ever could. They had said everything they needed to say about their experience from Beacon onwards, their struggle up to this point. Instead of looking back, they had promised to focus on the future… a future where they both stayed together.

The golden-haired huntress leaned in and kissed her, brief at first then a much longer, more involved kiss. Blake sighed contently, returning her affection. For all the years she had laid in this bed, she never expected to be doing this with someone like Yang. It had been a surprise from the beginning, the best kind. They kept it tender, expressing the deep connection they had. It hadn't been an easy ride, but that just made it stronger and more special.

Yang stopped suddenly, smiling apologetically. "Not to break the mood but… where's the bathroom?"

Blake chuckled at the poor timing, shaking her head. "Just down the hall, last door on the left."

Committing the directions to memory, Yang ventured down the hallway. On her return journey, she almost bumped straight first into someone. Blake's father, Ghira.

"Oh, sorry about that. Guess I wasn't looking where I was going," Yang apologized, making a mental note to take better stock of her surroundings next time.

He said nothing for a second, just staring at her. "Yang, may I have a moment of your time."

Not really seeing any way out of this, Yang resigned herself to her fate. "Sure."

Not one to beat around the bush, Ghira launched straight into his point. "Listen, when I heard my daughter was dating someone, had been for a while, I was concerned. I half-expected some no-good deadbeat." His expression softened considerably. "Seems like I didn't need to worry, though. You've stuck with my daughter through thick and thin, protected her even at the cost of your own safety." His eyes lingered for a second or two on Yang's arm, the one she had lost trying to defend Blake from the fanatical ex-leader of the White Fang.

Knowing what he was referring to, Yang looking him straight in the eyes with as much conviction as she could muster. "It was more than worth it, sir." She wholeheartedly believed that statement.

His lip quirked upwards into a small smile, appreciating her unwavering devotion. "As my wife said, there is no need to be so formal. I can tell Blake cares about you a lot. Whenever she talks about you - which has been a great deal since communication lines have been secured - she lights up. I haven't seen her so happy in a long time. And, if I'm not mistaken, I believe you care just as much for her."

"No question," Yang replied without a millisecond of hesitation.

Ghira placed his hand on her shoulder. "You have nothing to prove to me, or my wife, or anyone. The only person you need to concern yourself with is Blake, and it sounds like you've been doing that already. While I may have seemed… hostile at first, it was nothing personal."

In a lot of ways, Blake was like her father. They both cared; they just had trouble expressing themselves properly sometimes. "Hey, no harm done. It's nice to know you care in your own way."

He nodded, very serious. "I do, a lot. Blake might not see it that way, though."

"I think she knows," Yang reassured. "Actually, I'm pretty sure she does."

"Recent events have put a lot of things in perspective for me. I'm trying to change, little by little. It's not easy, especially with all the pressure. Then I look at Blake and see how much she's matured… I'm proud of her." He smiled to himself. "Anyway, I have kept you long enough. Please, consider this your home as much as you would your own." Giving one final nod, he disappeared off down the hallway.

Not sure what to make of the unexpected encounter, Yang made her way back to Blake's room. When she returned, Blake looked up at her expectantly. "What took you so long?"

Seeing no reason to lie, Yang re-joined her girlfriend. "I bumped into your dad." Already anticipating the look of worry, she was quick to continue. "Before you start worrying, it went fine."

"I don't know how you do it…" After all this time, Yang still surprised her.

"With my charm, how can I fail?" Yang tossed her a smile, smug at first. Soon, it faded to something much more affectionate and adoring. "I really love you, Blake. I hope you know that."

"It's hard not to when you say it at least once a day," Blake replied, blushing lightly at the directness of her girlfriend's declaration. No matter how many times she heard it, it still turned her to mush. "I… love you, too."

Yang gently bumped her forehead against Blake's, hands intertwining on instinct. "You are too cute sometimes. Even after all this time, you still get embarrassed saying it."

Continuing where they left off, they shared a gentle kiss. Wherever they went, whatever they were doing, it was home so long as they were there together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, finally got around to this. Again, I may add some other random fluff filled chapters if I come up with something that fits. No point in having a load of one-shots if I can just weave it in here. Have an awesome day and I'll see you next time.  
> \- Olivia


End file.
